Apple reverses dev tool lockout

Apple has extended an olive branch to its army of app developers by relaxing restrictions on how games are made.

The mobile devices giant says it is “relaxing all restrictions on the development tools used to create iOS apps” – on the proviso that the resulting apps do not download any additional code.

“This should give developers the flexibility they want,” Apple said, “while preserving the security we need.”

Apple said it came to the decision to relax development restraints after “taking much feedback to heart”.

Specifics on the matter are for now unclear, though a brief statement from Apple implied that developers can build games with any tool they want – of which Flash and Android tools are suddenly possible, though surely unlikely, candidates.

Apple went one further in its developer serenade, promising to release a long-awaited App Store Review Guideline “to help developers understand how we review submitted apps”.

Said Apple: “We hope it will make us more transparent and help our developers create even more successful apps for the App Store.

“The App Store is perhaps the most important milestone in the history of mobile software. Working together with our developers, we will continue to surprise and delight our users with innovative mobile apps.”

Apple said it will specifically make changes to its Developer Program license in sections 3.3.1, 3.3.2 and 3.3.9.